January 2012

Civil-Military Relations
commentary
U.S. Control of Contractors in Iraq Is Vital
Molly Dunigan
Jan 31, 2012
The Hill
With U.S. troops out of Iraq, the U.S. presence there will fall to 5,000 private security contractors....The experience with private security contractors during the war was fraught with challenges that pose risks now, writes Molly Dunigan.
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Al Qaida
commentary
Al Qaeda in Iran
Seth G. Jones
Jan 29, 2012
Foreign Affairs
Iran is in many ways a safer territory from which al Qaeda can operate. The United States has targeted al Qaeda in Iraq, Pakistan, Yemen, and other countries, but it has limited operational reach in Iran, writes Seth G. Jones.
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International Diplomacy
commentary
Is Regime Change in Iran the Only Solution?
Alireza Nader
Jan 26, 2012
Foreign Policy
The United States should not pursue sanctions with the intent of changing the regime, but to contain it in order to give Iranians a chance to effect change themselves, writes Alireza Nader.
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Peacekeeping and Stability Operations
commentary
Negotiating Peace in Afghanistan Without Repeating Vietnam
James Dobbins @Jim_Dobbins
Jan 13, 2012
The Washington Post
The Vietnam negotiations arose from a U.S. initiative, in response to domestic political imperatives and over repeated objections from the Saigon regime. By contrast, the incipient Afghan process has its roots in that society, not ours, writes James Dobbins.
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Organizational Leadership
q&a
Passionate, Pragmatic, Prudent: A New RAND President and RAND at Its Best
Michael D. Rich @michaeldrich
Jan 13, 2012
RAND Review
Michael D. Rich, the new president and chief executive officer of the RAND Corporation, shares his thoughts about his new role and the future of RAND.
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International Diplomacy
commentary
Do Israelis Really Want to Bomb Iran?
Dalia Dassa Kaye
Jan 12, 2012
ForeignPolicy.com
Much has been made over differences between the U.S. and Israeli threat perceptions of Iran, but in fact internal Israeli divisions suggest that the gap may not be as great as some suggest, writes Dalia Dassa Kaye.
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Urban Planning
commentary
Narrowing the Economic Achievement Gap: The Role of Housing
Heather L. Schwartz
Jan 11, 2012
Spotlight on Poverty and Opportunity
The results from Montgomery County demonstrate that an integrative housing policy can be an effective form of school policy for disadvantaged children, writes Heather Schwartz.
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International Diplomacy
commentary
Iran's Self-Destructive Gamble
Alireza Nader, James Dobbins @Jim_Dobbins
Jan 6, 2012
NYTimes.com on January 5, 2012 and in International Herald Tribune
For all its bluster, the Iranian regime is more vulnerable than at any time in its 32-year history. Internally, Iran is constrained by deep political divisions, civil strife and a woeful economy, write Alireza Nader and James Dobbins.
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Affordable Care Act
commentary
Two Years and Counting: How Will the Effects of the Affordable Care Act Be Monitored?
Robert H. Brook
Jan 4, 2012
The Journal of the American Medical Association
Most will agree with the undeniable fact that a new era in US medicine and US health care begins in less than 2 years. The key question is what potential measures should be monitored to determine both anticipated and unanticipated effects of the new law on the health of the US population, writes Robert H. Brook.
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